On Saturday, Wright was able to match his Kilmarnock colleague for ruthless efficiency with the head, but sadly it was his into his own net. However, not even that comical stoppage time own goal could take the gloss off the day, and Wright insists he would love to see Kyle rewarded for his latest double with a call-up for the national squad for next month’s friendly with Wales in Cardiff.
The former Sunderland striker has been out of the Scotland picture for five years and Burley’s plans to bring him back for the World Cup qualifying games with Macedonia and Holland were ruined when Kyle suffered a knee injury in August, before Burley compounded that by overlooking the striker last month for the friendly match in Japan after he had finally regained fitness.
“I cannot understand why Kevin is not in the team,” said Wright after watching Kyle take his haul this season to six goals. “That is what you need in a Scotland side. Someone with presence who can put the ball in the net. Kevin got called up for the World Cup games and then got injured and I could not understand why he was left out of the Japan game.”
There is little doubt that Kyle is far more mobile now at 28, than he was in his earlier career. He presents a real threat to defences with his height, as he illustrated with the opening goal early in the second half, and, like John Hartson, possesses nimble feet for a big man which he used to great effect to volley in his decisive second goal, before Wright’s own misguided effort ensured an anxious finale.
However, Wright is sure that Saturday’s trip to Celtic will give Kyle the perfect chance to stake his claim for the national team when he goes head to head with Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell. “I think Kevin could cause them problems,” insisted Wright. “Playing against the two Scotland centre-backs will bring out the best in him.
“Kilmarnock have not won at Parkhead for a long while but I think we can get something. The way the results have been going for the Old Firm, they look a bit shaky. We drew with Rangers here in September. If we defend well, I think we can cause Celtic a problem.”
Jefferies was overjoyed at his side finally securing a first victory since they defeated Hamilton on the opening day. “We did not play well in the first half but I was not angry with the players,” he said. “They were playing at 100mph. However, Kevin’s first goal settled us down. That sort of header, just using his height, is his forte, and the volley was a great piece of skill.”
Jefferies revealed that a conversation with John Hughes, the Hibernian manager, had them in agreement that St Johnstone are one of the best footballing sides in the league, but Derek McInnes is not keen to simply play good football with no end product.
“We dominated the first half but we never worked the goalkeeper,” noted the Perth manager. “You cannot come away and do that. You have to make it count.
“We suffered against Rangers by not taking our chances when we were 1-0 up and Kyle’s first goal changed this game completely, although I was not happy at Steven Anderson not being allowed back on the pitch after he had treatment. Kyle scored from the position my centre-half would have been in.”
Frazer Wright may have been facing the wrong way at Rugby Park on Saturday but the Kilmarnock defender is convinced that restoring Kevin Kyle to Scotland’s colours would be a move in the right direction by George Burley.
On Saturday, Wright was able to match his Kilmarnock colleague for ruthless efficiency with the head, but sadly it was his into his own net. However, not even that comical stoppage time own goal could take the gloss off the day, and Wright insists he would love to see Kyle rewarded for his latest double with a call-up for the national squad for next month’s friendly with Wales in Cardiff.
The former Sunderland striker has been out of the Scotland picture for five years and Burley’s plans to bring him back for the World Cup qualifying games with Macedonia and Holland were ruined when Kyle suffered a knee injury in August, before Burley compounded that by overlooking the striker last month for the friendly match in Japan after he had finally regained fitness.
“I cannot understand why Kevin is not in the team,” said Wright after watching Kyle take his haul this season to six goals. “That is what you need in a Scotland side. Someone with presence who can put the ball in the net. Kevin got called up for the World Cup games and then got injured and I could not understand why he was left out of the Japan game.”
There is little doubt that Kyle is far more mobile now at 28, than he was in his earlier career. He presents a real threat to defences with his height, as he illustrated with the opening goal early in the second half, and, like John Hartson, possesses nimble feet for a big man which he used to great effect to volley in his decisive second goal, before Wright’s own misguided effort ensured an anxious finale.
However, Wright is sure that Saturday’s trip to Celtic will give Kyle the perfect chance to stake his claim for the national team when he goes head to head with Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell. “I think Kevin could cause them problems,” insisted Wright. “Playing against the two Scotland centre-backs will bring out the best in him.
“Kilmarnock have not won at Parkhead for a long while but I think we can get something. The way the results have been going for the Old Firm, they look a bit shaky. We drew with Rangers here in September. If we defend well, I think we can cause Celtic a problem.”
Jefferies was overjoyed at his side finally securing a first victory since they defeated Hamilton on the opening day. “We did not play well in the first half but I was not angry with the players,” he said. “They were playing at 100mph. However, Kevin’s first goal settled us down. That sort of header, just using his height, is his forte, and the volley was a great piece of skill.”
Jefferies revealed that a conversation with John Hughes, the Hibernian manager, had them in agreement that St Johnstone are one of the best footballing sides in the league, but Derek McInnes is not keen to simply play good football with no end product.
“We dominated the first half but we never worked the goalkeeper,” noted the Perth manager. “You cannot come away and do that. You have to make it count.
“We suffered against Rangers by not taking our chances when we were 1-0 up and Kyle’s first goal changed this game completely, although I was not happy at Steven Anderson not being allowed back on the pitch after he had treatment. Kyle scored from the position my centre-half would have been in.”
